tened her girth and sprang into
her saddle with the alacrity of one accustomed to moments of danger. All
was silence now for a couple of minutes, except the slight noise of the
troopers engaged in bridling their horses and fixing on their packs,
when a loud voice called out, '_Voila!_; and the same instant every eye
in the party was directed to my shako, which hung on a branch of a tree
above me, and which up to this moment I had forgotten. Before I could
determine on any line of escape, three of the number had rushed up
the rock, and with drawn sabres commanded me to surrender myself their
prisoner. There was no choice; I flung down my sword with an air of
sulky resignation, and complied. My despatches, of which they soon
rifled me, sufficiently explained the cause of my journey, and allayed
any apprehensions they might have felt as to a surprise party. A few
brief questions were all they put to me; and then, conducting me down
the cliff to the scene of their bivouac, they proceeded to examine my
holsters and the flaps of my saddle for any papers which I might have
concealed in these places.

'Eh, bien! mon colonel,' said the leader of the party, as he drew
himself up before me, and carried his hand to his cap in a salute as
respectful and orderly as though I were his officer, 'what say you to a
little supper ere we move forward?'

'There's the bill of fare.' said another, laughing, as he pointed to the
remnant of roast fowls and stewed kid that covered the grass.

I was too young a soldier to comport myself at the moment with that
philosophic resignation to circumstances which the changeful fortunes of
war so forcibly instil, and I merely answered by a brief refusal, while
half unconsciously I threw my eyes around to see if no chance of escape
presented itself.

'No, no,' cried the corporal, who at once read my look and its meaning;
'don't try _that_, or you reduce me to the extremity of trying _this_,'
patting, as he spoke, the butt of his carbine with an air of easy
determination there was no mistaking.

'Let me rather recommend Monsieur le Capitaine to try this,' said the
Vivandiere, who, unperceived by me, was all this while grilling the half
of a _poulet_ over the embers.

There was something in the kindness of the act, coupled as it was with
an air of graceful courtesy, that touched me; so, smothering all my
regretful thoughts at my mishap, I summoned up my best bow and my best
French to acknowledge the c